Chicago Bears practice squad: Here's who will stick around Halas Hall
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Roster cutdown day is a tough day for players and general managers across the league, let alone for the Chicago Bears.
Bears linebacker TJ Edwards knows this as a guy who made the Philadelphia Eagles roster as an undrafted free agent.
"I have a soft spot for those undrafted guys," Edwards said.
This year, it was tough for an undrafted player to crack the Bears' 53-man roster. General manager Ryan Poles has spent the past two seasons stripping the Bears' roster down to the studs and building it back up.
The players who have been here for the long haul see it, and understand.
"I like what I see all around," tight end Cole Kmet said.
The Bears were not done, however. They still have to piece together their practice squad.
Here's who the Bears are bringing on to their practice squad, according to the Bears.
Chicago Bears practice squad additions
LB Micah Baskerville
OL Theo Benedet
TE Stephen Carlson
DL Byron Cowart
OL Jake Curhan
WR Collin Johnson
DB Quindell Johnson
LB Carl Jones
DL Jamree Kromah
DL Dashaun Mallory
DB Tarvarius Moore
QB Austin Reed
DB Reddy Steward
DB Ro Torrence
The Bears would have liked to retain tight end Brenden Bates, but the New York Jets claimed him off waivers.
Reed, who became a fan favorite during the Bears' stint on Hard Knocks, will rejoin the team. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was complimentary of Reed, saying he performed well in the Bears' preseason games and was engaging in the quarterback room.
Benedet, also a Hard Knocks star after his Canadian Eagle performance, will stick too, even after an injury kept him out for most of the preseason.
Steward, Jones, Baskerville and Johnson were all players that made plays during the preseason slate of games.
The Chicago Bears practice squad name to watch
Of all the players the Bears have on their practice squad, the one to watch is lineman Jake Curhan.
Curhan has an understanding of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's system, having played under Waldron in Seattle.
With Larry Borom on the short-term injured reserve list, the Bears are in need of an offensive lineman to fill out the depth at tackle.
The offensive linemen that made the Bears' 53-man roster are: Kiran Amegadjie, Ryan Bates, Nate Davis, Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, Doug Kramer Jr., Bill Murray, Matt Pryor, Coleman Shelton, Darnell Wright.
Of those players, Pryor plays tackle. Kramer and Murray are interior linemen. Bates is still week-to-week until the Bears announce otherwise. Amegadije is currently working his way back to playing speed after leaving the non-football injury list.
Curhan will most likely see some playing time early on this season for the Bears.
The list is not complete, however
The Bears signed 14 players to their practice squad. The NFL allows for 16 players to be on a practice squad.
There maybe more players to come.